How to pronounce “through”
Through is pronounced /ˈθruː/. It has 1 syllable. Below: the syllable split, native audio in both accents, the mistake people actually make with this word, and every individual sound in it explained.
Syllables and stress
Split it into 1 beat. It is a single beat — one vowel, said in one push of breath.
Stress pattern O — capital letters mark the stressed beats.
The common mispronunciation of “through”
✗ Often said: /ˈθraʊɡh/ — the spelling, read straight off the page.
✓ Actually: /ˈθruː/
Why the two come apart: the silent “gh” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it; also, at least one vowel does not say what its spelling suggests — English vowel letters are not reliable here.
This is why reading English aloud from spelling alone goes wrong so often: the letters of “through” are not a reliable map of its sounds. The IPA is — each symbol stands for exactly one sound, every time.
“through” sound by sound
“through” is built out of 3 sounds. Say each one on its own first, slowly, then run them together at speed. Every sound links to a full guide with mouth position, the mistake learners make with it, and other words that use it.
-
θLet the tongue tip touch (or just peek between) the upper front teeth and blow air over it with no voicing.
-
rCurl the tongue tip back (or bunch the tongue body up) without touching anything, round the lips slightly, and voice — the tongue must never tap the roof of the mouth.
-
uːPush the tongue high and back and round the lips into a tight, forward circle; hold it tense and long.
Silent letters in “through”
Letters you write but never say — this is the single biggest reason the word trips people up:
- ghThe letter “gh”Silent “gh” — write it, but do not let it reach your mouth.
Words that rhyme with “through”
Same ending sound from the stressed vowel on — a good way to hear whether you have the vowel right:
Minimal pairs — words one sound away from “through”
Each of these differs from “through” by exactly one sound. If you can say both of a pair and hear the difference, that sound is under control:
Questions people ask about “through”
- How do you pronounce “through”?
- “through” is pronounced /ˈθruː/. Press the US or UK button above to hear it spoken.
- How many syllables are in “through”?
- “through” has 1 syllable. The stress pattern is O.
- What is the common mispronunciation of “through”?
- People read it off the spelling as /ˈθraʊɡh/, but it is actually /ˈθruː/, because the silent “gh” is not pronounced, even though the spelling begs you to say it.
- Does “through” have any silent letters?
- Yes — silent “gh”.
Stop looking words up one at a time
You just looked up one word. PHONO puts the IPA above every word of whatever you are reading — in your browser, in a PDF, in any app — the moment you select it. An offline pronunciation dictionary, US and UK audio, one hotkey.